Half Full

Kaylah Kislan
LifeAtStart.com Reporter

“Is the glass half full or empty?,” is a question that we have all heard before. A question meant to be seemingly harmless, but when asked by the right person, could turn into a five minute analyzing session. This question could determine whether someone is typically pessimistic or optimistic. The state of the water in the glass doesn’t truly matter to anyone. After all, we’re talking about a hypothetical glass of water. Who, other than a hypothetical person, would bother drinking it?

Psychologist Susan Segerstrom tipped the glass to her fellow peers and conducted a study which showed people who see the glass half full are happier people than those who see it half empty. This should be obvious to us. Of course the people who always see the brighter side of things are the people who live happier lives. So what’s that to say about those who see the glass as half empty?

While those who see this glass as half empty may not be complete downers, they tend to not look for the brighter side to things. Perhaps they even advert their gaze to the good right in front of them. You could say it is looking for the good in the bad versus looking for the bad in the good. Despite the fact that some people are naturally more optimistic than others, everyone has the opportunity to look for the good in situations that aren’t ideal.

So when everything in your life seems to be going south, remember, pop the cork and tip your glasses to the good things, to the things that matter.